Electrical wire connection



NOV. 19, 1935. Q, sMlTH 2,021,701

ELECTRICAL WIRE CONNECTION Filed Sept. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov.19, 1935. H 0, gym. 2,021,701

ELECTRICAL WIRE CONNECTION Filed Sept. 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Nov. 19, 1935 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL WIRE CONNECTION Harold0. Smith, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application September 18, 1933, Serial No. 689,923

2 Claims.

The improved connection comprising the present invention is primarilyadapted for use in electrically joining the free ends of two or morewires, with or without the use of solder, in such a manner that therewill be a relatively large contact area between the wires to be joinedto accommodate the maximum current flow or amperage permitted by thewires themselves.

The connection is capable of quick assembly, and is furthermore readilydetachable, thereby adapting itself admirably to use in all manner ofelectrical circuits whether the current flow be large or small andwhether the connection be a permanent one or merely temporary. Becauseof the large contact area provided between the elements of theconnection and the consequent large volume of current flow accommodated,the connection is well adapted for use in household lighting and powercircuits as well as in the starting and ignition circuits of automotivevehicles.

Whether the connection be employed for joining the free ends of twowires together or whether additional wires are introduced into theconnection, the connection thus formed is designed to be a permanentsafeguard against failure or looseness of contact.

Because of the ruggedness of construction of the connection, the use ofsolder is wholly unnecessary and in some cases is undersirable as itleads to difficulty or inconvenience in disassembling the same andcontributes little that is not already inherent in the construction ofthe connection itself. However, in cases where it is known that aproposed connection will be a permanent one, the use of solder may beresorted toto doubly insure a long life to the connection.

Convenience of arrangement of parts, ruggedness and durability,simplicity of construction and consequent inexpense of manufacture arefurther desirable features that have been borne in mind in theproduction and development of the present invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this timeperceptible, will become more readily apparent as the nature of theinvention is better understood, and the same consists in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts shown in theaccompanying two sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the connection showing thesame in operative position, two wire ends being joined thereby inelectrical contact.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the connection showing the same enclosedin a sheath of insulating material, the sheath being sectioned todisclose the connection.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a male member forming a part of theconnection, showing the same attached to a wire and adapted to be joined5 to its counterpart. I

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the female member or counterpart of theconnection shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an endview of the male member 10 shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6, of Figure 2 in the direction ofthe arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section on the line ll, in Figure 1, in thedirection of the arrows and 15 showing the connection closed.

Figure 8 is a side elevation corresponding to Figure 1 showing thepreferred form of connection in operative position establishing anelectrical contact between two wire ends.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the same corresponding to Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of a female member of the connection.

Figure 11 is a. side elevation of the same.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of a male member joined to a wire endprior to connection to its female counterpart.

Figure 13 is an end elevation of the female member of the connection asshown in Figure 11, 30 looking from the right in said figure.

Figure 14 is an end elevation of the connection shown in Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a top plan view of the male member.

Figure 16 is a section on the line I6-l 6, in Figure 8 in the directionof the arrows.

Figure 17 is a side elevation of a multiple wire connection formed byemploying the male and female counterparts shown in the preceding 40figures.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar parts' in the different figures, the constructionshown comprises electric wire ends I and 2 which 45 as shown aresuitably insulated though the presence of insulation is not necessary tothe operativeness of the connection of the invention. These wires I and2 are shown in Figures 1 and 2 as joined by the connection of theinvention.

This connection, as shown in Figures 1 to 7, consists of a male member 3and a female member I. The male 3 as shown is in the formof a thin sheetof metal plate which may be thin sheet copper or any desired metal oralloy that 56 is a good conductor of electricity, preferably one whichhas a high degree of ductility so that it may be bent readily withoutbreaking. This member 3 comprises a split tubular portion 4, the split 5being ordinarily at the bottom of the tube as best shown in Figure 7, sothat the tube may be opened and closed or clamped around the wire end I.On closing the same tightly, the yielding nature of the insulation I isof assistance in attaching the member 3 to the wire end. Beyond the tube4 the male member 3 is formed with a channel shaped portion 5 whichextends coaxially of the tube, it being a continuation thereof. Thischannel shaped portion, as shown in Figure 3, has its edges turneddownwardly and it is provided with a perforation B so that the bared end7 of the wire, from which the insulation has been scraped, may be passedthrough this perforation 6 and turned backwardly upon itself asindicated in Figure 3. Beyond the channel shaped member 3, the plate 8of which the male member is formed is provided with two wings or clips 9which are spaced apart at the bottom and are connected by a flat portionID of the sheet metal from which the connection is made. The clips 9extend upwardly from this bottom portion 10, and preferably as shown inFigure 5.

Referring now to Figure 4, the female member i4 is formed with a splittubular portion IS the split being shown at 5", Figure 6, similar to thetubular portion 4 of the male member 3. This encloses the end of thewire preferably with the insulation 2 thereon as does the tubularportion of the male member. Beyond the tubular portion 15 the femalemember is formed with a channel shaped shank IS in line with the tubel5. This channel shaped portion i6 is shown as perforated at il justbeyond the tubular portion so that the wire end l8 from which theinsulation has been removed may extend through the perforation H and beturned backwardly, as already described, to positively connect the wireto the female member. The channel shaped shank I6 is shown 'as slottedat IS in a direction parallel to thetube, the slot 19 being of a widthsomewhat less than the overall width of the converging clips 3 neartheir center.

It will be understood that the wire ends 1 and it may be connected tothe tubular members 4 and i5 of the respective male and female members 3and 44 by soldering, though this is not essential to a permanent andpositive electrical connection between these members and the wire endsand any method of connecting the male and female members to the wireends may be employed.

To assemble the male and female connections to form a positiveelectrical connection between the wire ends I and 2, the wings or clips9 of the male member are passed together through the slot i 9, the maleand female members ,3 and I4 being placed in alignment and the channelshaped shank I8 of the female member is forced down over the convergingclips 9 of the male member until the slot I9 is closely in contact withclips 9 at both sides. Then the ends of the wings or clips 9 are bentoutwardly and downwardly over the sides of the channel shaped portion l6of the female member, as best shown in Figure '7, when the connectionbecomes positive and permanent until it is desired to disassemble it.The connection when completed may be covered by means of a tube l3 ofinsulating material.

It is of particular importance to note that the connection thusestablished between the wire ends I and 2 and between the male andfemale members 3 and i4 is definite, positive and serves for a period ofindefinite length and is a constant and permanent connection, first onaccount of the contact of the wings 9 with the channel shaped member 16where they are turned down over the latter; second, on account of thepositive contact between the converging wings or clips 9 with the sidesof the slot 19 in the channel shaped member l6 which is in the naturaloperation of the connection forced downwardly over the male member untilsuch positive contact is obtained; and third, on account of the closeoverlapping contact maintained between channel shaped shank l6 and theoverlying portions of the wings 9.

Figures 8 to 15 show another form of the invention comprising a femalemember 25 and a male member 26. In Figure 8 these members are shown inoperative position connecting two wire ends 24 and 24'. The manner ofsecuring the male and female members 26 and 25 to the wire ends is thesame as or similar to that just described, as to tubular members 4 and15 shown in the previous figures. The differences lies in the fact thatthe female member 25 instead of the channel shaped portion I6 isprovided with a fiat plate 29 extending forwardly in alignment with thetubular portion 21 and slotted in any convenient manner, the slot beingshown as extending longitudinally at 30 near its end. The male member 26is similar to the male member 3 described in connection with Figures 1to 7, but is provided with a flat metal plate at 31 extending from thetubular portion or the female member 28. A pair of wings or clips 32project upwardly therefrom and preferably converge, although this is notessential. The wings 32 are formed by slotting the plate 3| transverselyat 23, the slots being spaced apart and extending outwardly to thelongitudinal edges of the plate on each side. The slots 23 are spacedfrom the ends of the plate 3! so that the wings 32 are located mediallyof the plate leaving fiat portions 40 and 4| the full width of the plateon each side of the wings 32. The wings 32 are bent at 33 out of theplane of the plate extending upwardly or transversely to the flatportion 3!. The slot 30 in the female member is of such dimensiontransversely that it fits down over the wings or clips 32 to a pointclose to the point of deflection 33 when the two plates 29 and 3| are incontact.

In assembling the connection the wings or clips 32 are passed throughthe slot 30, the male and female members having been connected to thewire ends 23 and 24 as alreadydescribed, and the plate 29 is forceddownwardly until the wings 32 bear on both sides of the slot 30 whichplaces the slot 39 near the point of deflection 33, when the plates 29and 3| are in close contact. Then the clips 32 are bent outwardly at asharp angle causing them to lie flat against the plate 29. It is founddesirable to kink the ends 34 of the wings 32 sharply over as shown inFigure 16 so that they bear closely against plate 29 of the femalemember. In this way the plate 29 is held in the lowermost position shownin Figure 16 where the inner lower edges of the slot 30 immediatelyoverlie the point of deflection 33 bearing closely thereagainst, theclips or wings also bearing outwardly against the sides of the slot 39so that at this point they are in close contact with the edges of theslot 30. It is of primary importance that the plate 29 ofthe femalemember is forced down and held in close contact with plate 3| of themale member giving a positive contact of considerable area.

The shape of plate 3| is of interest in that it is easily and cheaplyformed and furnishes a large contact area. The wings or clips 32 are cutout of the sides of the plate in such a way as to form an I shapedmember which bears on a large area of plate 29 of the female member andthis bearing is on both sides of the clips 33. The upper side of plate29 is engaged by clips 33 so that the clips and the I plate reactoppositely against the plate 29 and hold it in close engagement. Theconnection may be covered by a tube 50 of insulating material.

In Figure 17 a three way electrical connection utilizing the elementsdisclosed in Figures 8 to 16 is shown'. The three wire ends thusconnected are indicated by reference characters 43, 44, 45. The wireends 44 and 45 are each connected to a female member 25 and a malemember 26 is connected to the wire end 43. The two'flat plates 29 of thefemale members 25 may be combined in any suitable manner to form theshank of a Y comprising the two female members 25 with means at the endsof the arms of the Y as already described for attachment of the wireends 44 and 45. The wings or clips 32 of the male member are then passedthrough slots 30 deflected outwardly one away from the other and turnedflat against the surface of the plate 29 of the female member which isoutside or on top as shown in Figure 17. The plates 29 thus comprise theshank of the Y which is extended by connection thereto of the malemember 26 as described. This forms a most effective multiple connectionwhich may by modification be used for joining any number of wires to asingle wire, it being understood that the wings 32 are of sufficientlength to accommodate an ordinary triple or quadruple connection.

The improved connection comprising the invention is adapted for formingelectrical contact or otherwise for connecting electrical wire ends forany and every purpose, but on account of its adaptability to use inmaking quick connections without solder, if desired, it is particularlyadapted for installing new equipment in automobiles as well as forperforming any changes which may be made in the lighting system or inthe addition of other new electrical equipment. It is of interest thatthe connection thus quickly formed comprises extended metal surfacesattached to the respecive wire ends and held in close contact with eachother when the connection is completed so that an electrical contact ofthe most efficient type which will accommodate a large current flow isthus accomplished and maintained.

It will be observed that the electrical connection thus described isadapted for easy and quick attachment to the wire ends with or withoutsoldering. The connection when closed gives and maintains at all times apositive electrical contact between the two members of the connection sothat there can be no failure or looseness of com tact under anycircumstances. This makes soidering of the connection wholly unnecessaryand permits quick disengagement of the connection and separation of thewire ends for any and all purposes when and if desired. In addition tothis, the connection by virtue of its large contact area willaccommodate a large current flow when demanded. Such a connection wouldbe admirably adapted for use in the starting circuit of a motor vehicle.

I have thus described specifically and in detail a preferred and amodified form of electrical connection embodying my invention in orderthat the manner of constructing, applying, operating and using the samemay be fully understood, however, the specific terms herein are useddescriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of theinvention being defined in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A connection for electrical wire ends consisting of a male and afemale terminal end member of thin easily bendable sheet metal, eachsaid member having clamping contact means for attachment tocorresponding wire ends to be electrically joined, the female membercomprising a slotted metal plate and the male member comprising a platewith bendable wings projecting side by side on one side of the plate andadapted to be passed through the slot in the female member until theplates are in contact, and to be then bent outwardly away from eachother and over on to the female member with the wings in close contactwith the sides of the slot and overlying and closely engaging thesurface of the female member at each side of the slot.

2. A connection for electrical wire ends consisting of a male terminalend member and a plurality of female terminal end members, said membersbeing of thin easily bendable sheet metal and each having clampingcontacting means for attachment to corresponding wire ends to beelectrically joined, the female members each comprising a slotted metalplate and the male member comprising a plate with bendable wingsprojecting side by side on one side of the plate and adapted to bepassed through the slots in the female members which are placed with theslots in registration and. the plates in contact for this purpose, thewings being adapted to be bent outwardly away from each other and overon to the surface of the outer female member holding all of said platestogether in contact with each other with the wings in close contact withthe sides of the slots in the female members.

HAROLD "0. SMITH.

